Strop - Knowing What You Know Now.......

[Newfie]

If you were going to buy a strop with all the fixins (leather conditioner, paste, etc), what would you buy?? Nothing fancy, just a nice decent set-up.

There's oodles of info around in this razor or that, what brush you should buy, what soap to use, etc.

I see plenty of posts with stops in the body, but not sure how much of it applies to a true Noob. I see plenty on E-Bay, but not sure if I want to risk that not knowing what I'm looking for. I see plenty more on sites like Vintage Blades, etc, but5 again, what do I get??

Maybe I should just post a WTB in the Mall and know the good people here will take care of me and I'll be sure I'm not getting ripped.

[mparker762]

If I were just starting out but knowing what I know now, I would get a new Dovo or Thiers-Issard carbon steel razor (whichever one should be honed by somebody who knows how), a Tony Miller hanging strop (pref horsehide), and Tony Miller 2-sided paddle strop with 1 micron diamond and 0.5 micron chrome oxide pastes.

[Namdnas]

Newfie,

Do yourself a favor and call/email, etc.... Tony Miller. He'll hook you up and he is a great person to do business with.

His site is www.thewellshavedgentleman.com

- John

[Newfie]

Thanks for the quick reply MP!!

Actually, the Dovo Special is on top of my short list (hence my question this AM about 5/8, etc), but the rest of the stuff I didn't have a clue about.

Your reply brings up one more question, with the paddle strop, does that take the place of a stone to hone the razor as required, or is that something else I need to get should I decide to attempt honing my own eventually (with a couple of E-Bay El Cheapo razors to learn / practice on, obviously!)

[Newfie]

Thanks for the advice and the link John. I'll do exactly that.

[mparker762]

If you're planning on tackling ebay razors that's a whole nother ball game. You can easily get to the point of needing grinders and anvils and expensive stuff and a shop to keep it in.

If you just want to buy mint or new old stock razors off of ebay, or buy new razors from a web store and want to hone them yourself then a Norton combination hone is what you need. This is a two-sided hone with 4k grit on one side and 8k grit on the other. Once the razor is as sharp as it will get on the 8k side then you can move to the 1 micron side of your pasted paddle, then to the 0.5 micron chrome oxide side.

One of the reasons this is so confusing is there are a lot of different ways of achieving the goal of a sharp razor, and everybody has their favorite approach.

[boboakalfb]

Newfie,

Do yourself a favor and call/email, etc.... Tony Miller. He'll hook you up and he is a great person to do business with.

His site is www.thewellshavedgentleman.com

- John

+1...He will get you set up and is a pleasure to deal with.

[AFDavis11]

I agree with the above posters, especially about the part that there are different approaches. If I were to start all over again tomorrow, with what I know now, I would:

Buy another Jemico strop (or a thin strop from TM, because I like ones that draw to let me know when the blade is sharp)

Two razors from classic shaving, both honed up. I would buy either two of the exact same razors for practical reasons or I would buy one TI and one Dovo, both 5/8s. I would get one of each "just for fun".

I would get a barber hone from Tilly.

[netsurfr]

+1 Tony is a great guy to work with...

[Newfie]

snip...If you just want to buy mint or new old stock razors off of ebay, or buy new razors from a web store and want to hone them yourself then a Norton combination hone is what you need.....snip

Yup, that's the plan. I've seen many many on Da Bay that are probably not very good as daily razors, but would make great practice / learning tools.

I wouldn't take something I'd be proud to own and say "OK, let's teach myself to do this!!!!"

I'm not going tomake any comparisons, but I do own a set of "Dick" brand butcher knives and a "Buck" filet knife that the Bride absolutely isn't allowed to use because I keep 'em so sharp . Any time I pull one of those out of it's sheath, it can easily shave my arm or the back of my hand. So I know the basic technique and care involved for careful honing. But how much of this knowledge I can put to a razor is to be seen.

Once again, thanks to all for your replies and advice.

[AFDavis11]

Probably a whole lot!

[TromboneGuy]

Speaking of, I just finally pulled the trigger and ordered a hanging strop and 4-sided pasted paddle strop from Tony Miller. Once those get here I'll try out the really pretty razor that Joe Chandler re-scaled for me. I can't wait.